No. 13 Maryland baseball uses fourth grand slam this season to power past No. 4 Ole Miss, 9-2

Up 3-1 in the top of the seventh, Ian Petrutz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. 

The sophomore DH connected on a grand slam earlier in the season, one of the three grand slams by the Terps early in the season. 

After a strike on the first pitch, Petrutz loaded up and mashed a home run deep into right, breaking open the game as the Terps now led 7-1. 

“Let’s call it what it is, four grand slams in five games is not normal,” coach Rob Vaughn said. “They haven’t panicked and they’ve just shown up and they have a really good plan when they execute their plan.”

No. 13 Maryland baseball defeated No. 4 Ole Miss 9-2, featuring nine strikeouts by junior right-hander Jason Savacool. 

It was the first game of the season the Rebels were held under ten runs.

Both sides started the game slow as neither reached base in the first inning. Savacool recorded two strikeouts, while Ole Miss junior right-hander Jack Dougherty recorded one himself. 

Dougherty started in place of ace Hunter Elliott. Elliott was scratched after forearm soreness prevented the sophomore from pitching. 

The Terps started the second inning with hot bats. 

Petrutz connected with a single to third base to record the first base hit of the game, and sophomore first baseman Eddie Hacopian followed with a single of his own. Dougherty walked fifth year right fielder Matt Woods on the next at bat, loading the bases for second baseman Kevin Keister.

The junior flew out to right, bringing Petrutz home to put the Terps on the board. Senior left fielder Bobby Zmarzlak followed up the scoring with a single to second base, sending Hacopian home with the hit.

The Rebels got in scoring position early in the second. After a single through the left side, junior catcher Calvin Harris reached second and third on Savacool wild patches. Harris took advantage, reaching home after a groundout by senior first baseman Anthony Calarco. Savacool prevented further damage however, with a strikeout to end the jam.

Savacool had six strikeouts by the end of the third after a scoreless inning, only allowing one hit and no walks.

“He didn’t flinch tonight,” Vaughn said. “He was cool as could be and, and just did his thing. And when he does that, man, he, I don’t care who you’re facing, he gives you a chance.”

With Maryland still up 2-1, sophomore center fielder Elijah Lambros led off the fifth with a double into left. Junior catcher Luke Shliger followed it up with a single, sending Lambros home as he hustled around third. 

The run ended Dougherty’s day, getting pulled for senior right-hander Mitch Murrell. Dougherty allowed six hits and three runs, recording three strikeouts in four innings.

After a groundout by senior third baseman Lorusso and a wild pitch by Murrell, Shliger stole third, putting the Terps in scoring position with two outs. Petrutz walked on the next at bat, putting men on both third and first for Maryland. Hacopian struck out in his at bat though, ending the inning and stranding the Terps at base. 

The Rebels reached base quickly in the fifth after a single by Calarco. A groundout by freshman DH Will Furniss sent him to second, but two straight outs, including Savacool’s seventh strikeout, ended the inning for Ole Miss. 

After failing to increase their lead in the top of the sixth, the Terps forced three straight quick outs to end the bottom half of the inning. Savacool threw 82 pitches at the end of the inning, allowing only three hits and no walks. 

Shliger began the seventh with a single through the left side for his second hit of the game. Junior shortstop Shaw followed up with a single down the right field line, sending Shliger to third and putting the Terps in scoring position. 

After the hit, Muller was pulled for freshman right-hander Jordan Vera. With his first at bat, Vera walked Lorusso, loading the bases. Putrutz followed up with his second grand slam of the season, breaking up the game as Maryland increased its lead to 7-1. 

“I thought we had a pretty steady attack tonight.,” Vaughn said. “A lot of pressure on their guys, a lot of base runners. Guys doing it different ways.”

After getting hit by a pitch and advancing to second off a wild pitch, Woods continued the scoring for Maryland, reaching home off a Keister single. It was the second RBI of the game for Keister. 

Vera was pulled for freshman right-hander Brayden Jones, who ended the inning a couple at bats later. 

Ole Miss got back on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Calarco reached home on a single by Furniss after an error by Keister on the throw to first. 

The seventh was the last inning for Savacool. The junior ace allowed just five hits and one earned run.

A sacrifice flyout by Hacopian in the eighth brought Lorusso home for another Maryland run, stretching the lead to seven. 

Fifth year right-hander Kenny Lippman took over on the mound for the Terps in the eighth, striking three batters out in the inning. 

Neither team scored in the ninth, as the Terps took game one of the series, 9-2.